Explore Everything - Bradley L. Garrett

Reading the forums, Brad (to his friends) has pissed a lot of people off with this book (has he got any friends left according to the forums?). I don't have a problem with people selling pictures or tales to be honest, good luck to the chap - I also have been stick for allowing use of some of my pictures over the last few years.

 

To be honest (note to self -need to stop using that phrase) I'd been looking forward to reading this book for a long while and according to some reports from the Toronto Film Festival that I've read a film deal has been signed (could be a total lie).

I've never met the chap, we have exchanged a couple of tweets a while ago (I can't remember why the hell why - not for any bad reasons I'm sure, I'm derp and aerial he's just mental???), but I got a good discount from Amazon on the £20. cover price and given the coverage in the UK press it had to be bought.

First off the rather nice plastic cover is a slippy pain the arse (very petty I know) but the first few pages grabbed me straight away sucking me in and then sadly it descended into a philosophical lecture into why and how to justify the act of urban exploration or urbex or UE or what ever you want to call it. Originally written for a PhD it does often read as a PhD thesis.

Despite the books inner lecture I found the whole read a page turner and I did read the whole 288 pages over a rather damp weekend and I can highly recommend it, some may however disagree...

As I previously said who am I to be throwing mud at Bradley for what many are saying is screwing over his friends and selling out - I got my friends pissed, booked them flights to a winter wonderland in an ex Soviet disaster zone and then screwed over an international (thieving) sports company - but hey everyone got free boots !!

8/10 to Bradley for the book, looking forward to the film????

10/10 for the exploits which are far above what I will never,ever,ever ascertain (or wish to).

Mr Garrett, if your passing Manchester have a free flight on me, yep seriously just give me a shout.

Urbex, it's the new.....

First off a quick link from the London Evening Standard, Bradley L. Garrett again, with an article for the masses who just don't get it.

On a mission with London's urban explorers

Just short of a few more pics, but all good, unlike this second story to be found in one of Northwest England's finest rags, Lancashire Telegraph.

Now I'm not a fan of the site 28 Days Later as its a big site, possibly the most well known Urbex site and thus attracts every idiot and his mates, metal thieves, vandals and most of all the lazy local hacks.

Before we move onto this little gem of classic urbex bashing reporting, I'd like to put on record I'm a fan of local journalism when its done right. As for 28 Days Later, I'm aware they have closed members accounts if any foul play/bad practices have been even hinted at.
 
Urban explorers criticised over tasteless Rossendale Hospital prank

Possibly bad taste, I don't really care to be honest, what I personally find in bad taste is that property developers buy up site after site of industrial heritage, listed buildings and then simply let them rot.  Many sites are left in such a state to the point that they have to be bulldozed despite what promises they made to everyone when the bought the place when pushing "big" plans thru local planning departments.